Ville Aslak
Raasakka
Ville Aslak Raasakka is a Helsinki-based Finnish composer specialized in ecology. His works incorporate field recordings from coal power plants, coal mines, oil rigs, forests, trees, insects, plants and underwater sites. He is currently working with bioacoustics and composing in cooperation with biologists.
His works are performed by the Klangforum Wien, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra and Mivos Quartet at festivals including Eclat, Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival and June in Buffalo. He has composed for soloists and conductors such as Marco Blaauw, Chloé Dufresne, Anssi Karttunen and Bas Wiegers.
"The sound world is stupefyingly vibrant and multi-faceted"
– Annikki Alku, Demokraatti
"Majestic"
– Samuli Tiikkaja, Helsingin Sanomat
"An unforgettable experience"
– Reetta Pitkäkoski, Helsingin Sanomat
Engagements in 2024-2026
BBC Symphony Orchestra // London, United Kingdom
Rainy days Festival // Philharmonie Luxembourg
Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival // United Kingdom
Klangforum Wien // Vienna, Austria
London Design Museum // London, United Kingdom
Mivos Quartet // New York City, United States
ISCM World New Music Days // Lisbon, Portugal
Manca Dornik, accordion // Basel, Switzerland
Raphaël Dubois, guitar // Tours, France
Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity // Banff, Canada
Lorelei Dowling, bassoon, Klangforum Wien // Vienna, Austria
Switch~ Ensemble // New York City, United States
Annette Bik, violin, Klangforum Wien // Vienna, Austria
Ensemble Mise-en, Yumi Suehiro // New York, United States
Kaisa Kortelainen, flute // Helsinki, Finland
Avanti! Chamber Orchestra // Helsinki, Finland
Iida-Vilhelmiina Sinivalo, cello // Helsinki, Finland
Oulu Sinfonia // Oulu, Finland
Livia Schweizer, flute // Helsinki, Finland
Turku Philharmonic Orchestra // Turku, Finland
Upcoming Works
Tree root sensing and growing (2024-25) 30'
for String Quartet and Electronics
Commissioned by the Mivos Quartet, Wien-New York City
the Sibelius Foundation, Helsinki
and the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, United Kingdom
New work (2025)
Seaweed Sculptures with Underwater Sound Design
Co-composed with designer Julia Lohmann,
’More Than Human’ exhibition, London Design Museum, United Kingdom
A black carbon haze (2024-25) 10'
for Contraforte/Contrabassoon, Viola and Tenor Saxophone
Commissioned by Lorelei Dowling, Wien
and the Teosto Commission Fund, Helsinki
New work (2026) 20-30'
for 13 Percussionists
Commissioned by the Rainy Days Festival
and the Luxembourg Philharmonie
The sound woven on a spider’s web (2025-26) 30'
Series of Etudes for Violin
Commissioned by Annette Bik, Wien
Cello Concerto (2025-26) 20'
for Cello, Electronics and Chamber Orchestra
Commissioned by Sirja Nironen, cello
